The rifles of the three Germans within and the two British sailors spoke almost as one.  One of the tars crumpled up in the doorway, while one of the Germans also threw up his hands and slid to the floor.

With wild shouts of anger, the other sailors surged forward and poured through the door in spite of German bullets, which now flew so fast that accurate aim was impossible.

Frank dashed forward with the others.  Down went the second German, leaving but one alive.  Frank found himself face to face with the latter.

“Stand back, men,” he called.

The sailors obeyed.

In one hand the German gripped a revolver, but Frank held this arm with his left hand and straightened it high above the German’s head.  Thus the German was unable to bring his revolver to bear on the lad.

Nevertheless, his left arm was still free, and he struck Frank a heavy blow in the stomach with his fist.  The pain was severe and Frank loosened his hold on the man’s revolver arm.  With a cry of triumph, the German deliberately lowered his revolver.

Frank, having dropped one of his revolvers, was in a bad way.  True, a second was in his belt, but it did not appear that he had time to draw and fire before the German’s finger pressed the trigger.

But now came an action on the lad’s part that proved his right to be called an expert with the revolver—­an action that often had bewildered Jack and aroused his envy.

So quickly that the eye could not follow the movement, Frank dropped his hand to his belt, whipped out his revolver, and without taking aim, fired.

A fraction of a second later there was a second report, as the German, with Frank’s bullet already in his shoulder, pressed the trigger, almost involuntarily.  But ere he fired, Frank had dropped to the floor and the bullet passed harmlessly overhead.

Frank rose quietly.

“Bind him men,” he said simply.  “He’s not badly hurt.  He’ll probably live to face the gallows.  Where is young Cutlip?  Has anyone seen the boy?”

“Here he is, sir,” answered the boy himself, and came forward.  “And will you release my father now, sir?”

“As soon as we return to the ship,” replied Frank.  “Come, men.”

CHAPTER XXI

THE END OF THE SUBMARINE

Frank now took account of his casualties.  Five men had been killed and twenty more or less seriously wounded.  As many more nursed slight injuries.

The enemy’s casualties, proportionately, had been more severe.  Half of the original number were stretched on the ground.  Hardly a man of the others but had been wounded.

Frank had his dead made ready for transportation back to the Essex, and litters were improvised for the wounded who were unable to walk.  The grounded Germans also were carried—­that is, those of them who were so severely hurt they could not walk.  Those who could walk were surrounded by the British and marched on ahead.